Paper stock distribution box



y 1957 R. P. MCGINLEY ET AL 2,791,947

PAPER STOCK DISTRIBUTION BOX Filed Sept. 9, 1955 Fial Raynicsn dPMcC-luinleg d Gilman C.Board.man

ATTORNEYS 1 l lu nu kv United States Patent 2,791,947 PAPER STOCK DISTRIBUTION BOX Raymond P. McGinley, Enosburg Falls, and Gilman C. Boardman, St. Albans, Vt. Application September 9, 1955, Serial No. 533,344 3 Claims. (Cl. 92-46) This invention relates to stock boxes for paper-making machines of either the Fourdrinier or cylinder type, and more particularly to a stock box in which stocks of different characteristics may be mixed in predetermined proportions and fed to a plurality of paper-making machines in predetermined mixtures.

Paper mills may use a number of web-forming machines of either the Fourdrinier or cylinder mold type and it is often desirable to produce paper of ditferent characteristics simultaneously on each of the web formers. Heretofore each machine was equipped with a stock box which supplied the machine with pulp and the characteristics and consistency or freeness of the pulp were independently regulated.

It is an object of this invention to provide a stock box which can be utilized for as many web-forming machines as is desirable.

It is a further object to provide a stock box for a plurality of web-forming machines in which a predetermined and different mixture of stock may be supplied to each machine.

Further objects will be apparent from the following description when read in conjunction with the attached sheet of drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a device in accordance with the invention; and

Figure 2 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the device shown in Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, the stock box of the instant invention includes a pair of receptacles and 11 mounted contiguously one above the other. The upper receptacle 10 is partitioned, as at 12 and 1.3, to provide three separate compartments 14, 15, and 16. Stock inlet pipes 17, 18, and 19 are connected respectively to these separate compartments. Partitioning means 29 and 21 are provided for dividing the lower receptacle 11 into separate compartments 22, 23, and 24. The latter compartments ex tend at right angles or 90' to those of the upper receptacle 1t), and the partitions 20 and 21 are positioned at right angles with respect to partitions 12 and 13. By this arrangement each of the upper compartments overlie each of the lower compartments.

For each compartment in the lower receptacle 11, there is provided a stock outlet conduit, shown on the drawings at 25, 26, and 27.

The separate compartments of the upper receptacle 10 are placed in fluid communication with each of the compartments of the lower receptacle through a plurality of valves 28. As shown in Figure 1, the valves 28 are located at the point where each of the stock inlet passages 14, 15, and 16 overlie each of the stock outlet passages 22, 23, and 24. Thus, with three inlet passages and three outlet passages there are nine independently operated valves. The three valves 28 which control the mixture of stock supplied to outlet 27, are shown with two in the fully opened position and one fully closed. The stock mixture fed to the outlet 27 therefore, would consist of equal parts of stock from the two outermost inlets 17 and 19. By changing the setting of the valve members 28, it will be apparent that any predetermined mixture of stock can be continuously supplied to any of the three outlets, and further that the stock supplied to each of the outlets may be of the same or dilferent characteristics depending upon the setting of the valves 28.

The lower box 11, as shown in Figure 2, has an inclined bottom portion, at 29, to insure flow to the respective Fatented May 14, 1957 ice outlets once stock is admitted to the lower receptacle 11 through the valves 28.

The device, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, shows only three inlets and three outlets. It will be obvious, however, that the number of inlets and outlets can be multiplied to suit any given installation. Thus, for example, there could be four inlets and three outlets or there could be two inlets and four outlets. The only requirement is that for each outlet there must be a valve connection between each of the inlets and the outlet. The number of valves necessary, therefore, is always equal to the product of the number of inlets and outlets.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent to those skilled in the papermaking art, that there is herein shown and described a new and useful stock distribution box which will have wide application throughout the papermaking industry. Variations are contemplated within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A paper stock mixing and distributing box for paper making machinery comprising in combination: means defining a plurality of stock inlet passages; means defining a plurality of stock outlet passages, each of said inlet passages positioned to overlie each of said outlet passages; and means including independently operated valve means interposed between said inlet passages and said outlet passages at the point where each of said inlets overlies each of said outlets for establishing fluid communication between any of said outlets and any of said inlets, and for continuously feeding the incoming stock in said inlet passages in any predetermined proportion to any of said outlet passages when said valve means are open.

2. A stock mixing and distribution box for paper-making machinery comprising in combination: a pair of receptacles positioned contiguously one above the other; means dividing the upper of said receptacles into a plurality of separate compartments; stock inlet means, one connected to each of the said separate compartments in the said upper receptacle; means dividing the lower of said receptacles into a plurality of separate compartments, each of said lower compartments underlying and communicating with each of said upper compartments, a plurality of stock outlets, one connected with each of the said separate compartments in said lower receptacle; and a plurality of independently adjustable valve means positioned at the I point where each of said lower compartments underlies each of said upper compartments to control the flow of stock from each of the compartments of the upper receptacle to each of the compartments of the lower receptacle; whereby stock from each of the upper compartments is continuously supplied in any predetermined ratio to each of the compartments of the lower receptacle when said valve means are open in order that predetermined stock mixtures is continuously maintained in each of said outlets.

3. A stock box as defined in claim 2, in which the two receptacles are so arranged that the dividing means for the compartments in the upper receptacle are positioned at substantially to the dividing compartments of the lower receptacle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 15,311 Allen et al. Mar. 21, 1922 814,094 Stickel Mar. 6, 1906 1,647,984 Bloch Nov. 8, 1927 1,737,701 Bond Dec. 3, 1929 1,737,722 Bond Dec. 3, 1929 1,774,566 Proctor Sept. 2, 1930 1,939,225 Qviller Dec. 12, 1933 2,684,690 Lee July 27, 1954 2,688,905 Hornbostel Sept. 14, 1954 

